Method of making shaped coat hangers



Feb. 15, 1966 w.F.DEKNA1-EL ETAL 3,234,980

METHOD OF MAKING SHAPED COAT HANGERS Filed June 22, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Flc-3.1@ ,0

ff# f 7" FEM f@ F1@ ff# f ff/ @L2/ F154 Feb. 15, 1966 w. F. DEKNATELETAL 3,234,980

METHOD OF MAKING SHAPED COAT HANGERS Filed June 22, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet2 United States Patent 3,234,980 METHOD GF MAKING SHAPED CGA'I RANGERSWilliam F. Deirnatel, Chicago, and John C. Handzel, Des

Plaines, lil., assignors to The Setwell Company, Chicago, Ill., acorporation of Illinois Filed .lune 22, 1962, Ser. No. 204,414 9 Claims.(Cl. 1414-326) This invention relates to an improved method for makingshaped Wooden coat hangers.

Wooden coat hangers are of two types. In one, referred to as theordinary type, the thickness (front to back dimension) is substantiallyuniform. In the other, it is not uniform, and the shape is characerizedby an enlarged portion at the end of each arm, which can be referred toas the shoulder pad. This is the shaped type of coat hanger and isconsidered to be more preferable since, with respect to mens coats, theshoulder pad of the hanger prevents a creasing or deformation of theshoulder of the coat. More particularly, mens garments sometimes have abuilt up shoulder and this will tend to `slide to one side or the otherend of the ordinary type of coat hanger, whereas in the shaped type, thebuilt up shoulder of the garment will more or less center itself on theshoulder pad of the hanger.

In the fabrication of hangers of both types, it is customary to take ablock of Wood, the cross section of which is rectangular, and to cut italong its broad surfaces into two complementary parts referred to hereinas block halves which can be rearranged in a certain manner so thatcertain end surfaces are abutting, thus to provide the characteristiccoat hanger shape with a built up neck. For purposes of reference, theunder surface of the coat hanger, which is usually in the form of twoplane surfaces, can be referred to as the dihedral angle of the hanger.

In the prior art method above described the dihedral angle surfaces ofthe hanger represent the narrow surfaces of the original rectangularblock.

From the foregoing it will be seen that when a shaped coat hanger ismade according to the prior art reference, the thickness of the blockmust be at least as great as the thickness of the shoulder pads. Thisrepresents a considerable waste of material since the remainder of thecoat hanger is much thinner which means that much more than 50% of thewood of the original block is carved away as waste.

According to our method, a shaped coat hanger can be made with much lesswaste. The characteristic of our invention is that the shaped coathanger is cut from a block in such a manner that the dihedral angle ofthe hanger represents the broad surfaces of the block. The block is ofconsiderably less height than in the prior art method, and thisrepresents the saving in material which is provided by our invention.The cut is referred to herein as the block cut, and is made at an anglemuch less than 90 to the broad surfaces.

According to our invention, by making the line of the block cut notorthogonal to the broad surfaces as in the prior art, but at an anglethereto, then the cross section of each complementary block half iseither tirangular or trapezoidal, whereas according to the prior artmethod, the corresponding cross section is rectangular. This angle ismuch less than 90, and preferably is from to 45.

By thus cutting the block on the bias, as it were, we have found thatthe characteristic configuration of a shaped type of coat hanger can beprovided with very little waste of material.

Wit-h reference now to the drawings in which like reference numeralsdesignate like parts:

FIGS. la, 1b and 1c show the original block in side, end and top viewsrespectively;

ice

FIG. 2 shows the block of FIG. 1 in a different position;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are sections taken along lines 3--3 and l-=^l of FIG. 2respectively, after the block has been cut into two halves;

FIG. 5 is a view showing the two complementary halves in a rearrangedposition;

FIG. 6 is a left end view of one of the halves;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5, but showing a further rearrangementof the halves;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but showing a further rearrangementof the parts;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of FIG. 8 showing the final shape in broken lines;

FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 are side elevation, plan and end views,respectively, of the finished hanger;

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing another example of myimproved method;

FIG. 14 is a section taken along the line 14*14 0f FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a plan view of the linished hanger made from the block ofFIGS. 13 and 14; and

FIG. 16 is a section taken along line 16-15 of FIG. 15.

With reference now to FIGS. la, 1b and 1c, the block 1i) is an elongateparallelepiped of rectangular cross section having obiique end surfaces11 and 12. The side surfaces of the block, for purposes of furtherreference, will be referred to as the broad surfaces 20 and 21, and thenarrow surfaces 22 and 23. If the block 1li is rotated through the angletheta of FIG. 1b, then the projection will be as shown in FIG. 2. Thecurved line 13 in FIG. 2 is the line of a block cut which is parallel tothe line of sight and perpendicular to the plane of projection. Afterthe block has been cut, the relationship of the block cut 13 to the twocomplementary block ihalves 14 and I5 is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Thus,the block cut 13 divides the block into two block halves each of whichhave curved surfaces 16 and 1'7 respectively. These surfaces arecylindrical surfaces, in the generic sense of the term, the elements ofwhich are all disposed at the angle theta to the broad surfaces Z0, 21.

FIG. 5 is a projection in which the parts 14 and 15 are in the sameangular disposition as shown in FIG. 2,

and in which the axial alignment is maintained; however, the two blockhalves 14 and 15 have been offset axially.

FIG. '7 shows the two block halves 1d and 15 in axial alignment, but theblock half 15 has been rotated 180 about its longitudinal axis, and hasbeen moved up toward block half i4 so that one corner of the oblique endsurface 11 touches one corner of the oblique end surface 12. At thispoint, the two block halves 1dand 15 are each rotated about the point ofcontact so that the oblique surfaces 11 and 12 will be in full surfacecontact. In this position, the parts appear as shown in FIG. 8, whenviewed in side elevation, and in FIG. 9 when viewed in plan. Theprojections of FIGS. 8 and 9 are orthogonal with respect to the abuttingend surfaces 1l and 12,.

In FIG. 2, the cut line 1S divides the broad surface 21 into two parts21 and 21, and the same applies to surface 20. These surface parts areidentified in FIGS. 8 and 9; the parts 20" and 21 form the dihedralangle of th coat hanger.

Similarly, the inner neck surface parts 22 and 23 of FIG. 9 are parts ofthe surfaces 22 and 2.3 of the original block.

If it be assumed that the two halves 1 4 and 15 are glued or others/visesecured to each other along the abutting end surfaces 11 and 12, it willbe seen that the assembly of FIGS. 8 and 9 approximates the distinctiveconfiguration of a shaped coat hanger. In FIG. 9, the broken lines 24indicate the manner in which the assembly can be carved away to producethe finished article.

In other words, the broken lines of FIG. 9 represent a shaped hanger inplan view, and the broken line outline conforms generally to thefinished coat hanger shown in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12.

In the fabrication of the coat hanger 25, the separate block halves 14,15 are individually shaped by several shaping7 cuts to more or less thefinal configuration; then glued or doweled together, then rough sanded,and then finally finish sanded to produce the final article of FIGS. 10to 12.

When the usual hook 28, shown in broken lines in FIG. 12, is attached tothe wooden body 25, the coat hanger will hang freely, as shown in FIG.12 by the broken lines 26; in other words, the center of gravity islocated forwardly of the inner surfaces of the neck portion 27 with theresult that the hanger tips forwardly somewhat.

This arrangement is the result of providing end surfaces 11, 12 whichare oblique both with respect to the broad surfaces 20, 21 and withrespect to the narrow surfaces 22, 23. In the two examples shown, theObliquity with respect to one block axis is substantially equal to theObliquity with respect to the other, and in both examples, the anglebetween the end surface and a side surface is about 65 to 70.

In other words, the Obliquity is about 20 to 25 with respect to eachtransverse axis making a total Obliquity of from 30 to 35. Thus, whenthe hanger is free hanging, the arms are disposed at about 110 to 120 toeach other. When the hanger is thus permitted to hang so' that the armaxis angle is in a substantially vertical plane,l the shaped irnpressionis considerably accentuated.

The invention is applicable to a wide variety of designs; FIGS. 13 and14 are views corresponding to FIGS. 2 and 3, and show a block 30 ofdifferent proportions, and FIG. 15 is a plan view of a tinished coathanger 31 made from the block 3) of FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 shows that the vertical dimension of the neck portion 32corresponds to the vertical dimension of the original block 30.

According to our invention the block cut 13 of FIG. 2, or 33 of FIG. 13,is made at an acute angle to the broad surface, whereas heretofore, itwas made perpendicular to the broad surface. According to the presentinvention the block cut will intercept all four surfaces of the block.However, in FIG. 2, in which the block is made at an angle ofapproximately 15 to the broad surface, the block cut extends primarilyfrom one narrow surface 22 to the other, 23. In FIG. 13, in which theproportions of the block are considerably different, and in which theangle theta of the block cut is substantially to the broad surface, theblock cut 33 extends primarily from one broad surface to the other.

In other words, the orthogonal projection of the curved surface, whichrefers to a projection which is taken in the direction of its elements,will primarily fall on the narrow surface in the FIG. 2 modification,and will fall primarily on the broad surface of the FIG. 13modification. Vith respect to the longitudinal axis of the block, thecurve surface itself will be symmetrical so that the dimensions of theblock halves are the same. However, the orthogonal projection of thecurved surface upon either a broad or narrow side surface will beasymmetrical with respect to the longitudinal center line of saidsurface.

The angle theta referred to is the angle between the elements of thecylindrical surface 16 or 17 and the plane of one of the broad surfaces,and preferably ranges from about 10 up to 45 or 60.

Comparable results are obtained where the elements of the cylindricalsurface 16, 17 are somewhat skewed with respect to a right section ofthe original block 10.

Although only preferred embodiments of our invention are shown herein,it will be understood that various modifications and changes in themethod and construction shown may be made without departing from thespirit of our invention as pointed out in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. The method of making a shaped coat hanger from a one-piece block ofrectangular cross section having broad and narrow side surfaces andhaving oblique end surfaces, which comprises the steps of separating theblock into two complementary block halves by cutting sai-d block at anangle substantially less thanV to the plane of a broad surface along anS-shaped line which is curved at the ends and which begins and endsshort of said oblique end surfaces, to provide block halves each havinga curved surface whereof the elements are disposed substantially lessthan 90 with respect to said broad surfaces, and arranging said blockhalves with the oblique end surface of each block half in abuttingrelationship with the oblique end surface of the other.

2. The method of claim 1 which includes the step of shaping said blockhalves.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 which includes the steps of shapingsaid block halves prior to said arranging step, then securing said blockhalves to each other when arranged, and sanding the arranged and securedblock halves to provide a finished coat hanger body.

4. The method of claim 1 in which said angle is from 10 to 60.

5. The method of claim 1 in which said angle is from 15 to 45 6. Themethod as claimed in claim 1 in which said curved surface is an S-shapedsurface which is substantially symmetrical with respect to thelongitudinal axis of said block.

'7. The method as claimed in claim 6 in which the orthogonal projectionof said curved surface upon one of said side surfaces is asymmetricalwith respect to the longitudinal centerline of said surface.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6 in which the orthogonal projectionof said curved surface falls primarily on said broad surface.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6 in which the orthogonal projectionof said curved surface falls primarily on said narrow surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,382,931 6/1921Prevost 144-326 1,477,973 12/1923 Marble 223-88 1,911,703 5/1933 Marble223-88 2,153,905 4/ 1939 Yankovitch 223-88 2,185,253 1/1940 Klein 223-882,813,560 1l/l957 Batts 144-315 3,053,295 9/1962 Duncan 144-326 FOREIGNPATENTS 1,077,806 5/1954 France.

ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primmy Examiner.

DAVID I. WILLIAMOWSKY, WILLIAM W. DYER,

JR., LESTER M. SWINGLE, Examiners.

1. THE METHOD OF MAKING A SHAPED COAT HANGER FROM A ONE-PIECE BLOCK OFRECTANGULAR CROSS SECTION HAVING BROAD AND NARROW SIDE SURFACES ANDHAVING OBLIQUE END SURFACES, WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF SEPARATING THEBLOCK INTO TWO COMPLEMENTARY BLOCK HALVES BY CUTTING SAID BLOCK AT ANANGLE SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN 90* TO THE PLANE OF A BOARD SURFACE ALONGAN S-SHAPED LINE WHICH IS CURVED AT THE ENDS AND WHICH BEGINS AND ENDSSHORT OF SAID OBLIQUE END SURFACES, TO PROVIDE BLOCK HALVES EACH HAVINGA CURVED SURFACE WHEREOF THE ELEMENTS ARE DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY LESSTHAN 90* WITH RESPECT TO SAID BROAD SURFACES, AND ARRANGING SAID BLOCKHALVES WITH THE OBLIQUE END SURFACE OF EACH BLOCK HALF IN ABUTTINGRELATIONSHIP WITH THE OBLIQUE END SURFACE OF THE OTHER.